


A Promise To Keep

by MysteriouS24



Category: Women's Soccer RPF
Genre: F/F, F/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-05-19
Updated: 2016-05-19
Packaged: 2018-06-09 08:50:54
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, Major Character Death
Chapters: 2
Words: 1,859
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6899299
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MysteriouS24/pseuds/MysteriouS24
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Hope is finally ready to commit to a life with Kelley, but life has other plans. Will they overcome?</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. A Promise To Keep

**Author's Note:**

> This is essentially the prologue to a new O'Solo fic that I couldn't get out of my head. It promises to be angsty, but it should also be very good. (I hope.) Hang on tight!

Morning had passed in a mix of half asleep cuddling and breathless passion until mid-afternoon dawned, gauzy and surreal for Kelley and Hope. Kelley rested her head on Hope’s chest, her arm draped casually over her stomach, her body curved into the other woman’s. They hadn’t gotten out of bed for most of the day, not even to eat. The hours passed quickly, easily, but as they did, a dull dread rested in both of their stomachs. The more time passed, the closer they were to, once again, being apart. 

Their vacation from reality provided a sanctuary, and in the past week, they had interacted little with the world around them. Save for the occasional phone call or text, the bubble they had created for just the two of them hadn’t been penetrated. 

Hope’s fingers drifted through Kelley’s hair gently. The scent of her hair was the most calming smell to Hope; it meant home, safety, love….everything she ached for her entire life. Somehow, over the years, Hope had let Kelley become someone irreplaceable. More than special. When they were apart, the ache in Hope’s chest reminded her that she was missing something vital and that something was Kelley. There was no point in fighting against the truth. 

In the morning, they would be separated again. Both of them pushed the thought away every time it surfaced, but it was apparent that being apart just wasn’t an option anymore. Not for much longer, at least. 

Hope bit her lip to try and stop her tears from flowing; the last thing she wanted was to ruin the beautiful moment she was having with Kelley. Kelley deserved the calm, and the weight of her head was reassuring to Hope. As long as she lie over her heart, she knew she was real and wouldn’t cease to exist. Despite her efforts, her chest hitched and Kelley looked up in time to see a tear escape from Hope’s eye.

“Oh, hey, what’s this?” She asked gently before she wiped the tear away. Hope tried to smile, but it came out as more of a grimace. Her chin quivered before she completely lost control. She sat up, and Kelley rubbed her naked back, doing her best to comfort her lover. 

“I can’t do this double life thing anymore, Kell.” Hope sniffed when she had calmed down enough to speak. Her throat ached with her attempt to stop the flow of tears, but another sob escaped her body. 

“What do you mean?” Kelley asked carefully. Surely, this wasn’t a repeat of last time...not after the way they had grown. The time they spent together, the way they had built the best life they could together, given the circumstances. Her stomach twisted and tears bit the back of her own eyes.

“Oh no, no! No, not that! I’m sorry.” It was Hope’s turn to comfort Kelley. The lovers embraced, wrapped in each other’s arms, their faces buried in the others’ neck. When they pulled away, Kelley searched Hope’s eyes. 

“Are you saying you...you want to be with me? Like, really be with me?” She asked. She was afraid to hope, after she had asked over the years. Hope’s answer had always been, ‘It’s not that easy,’ and invariably led to a fight. This time, she nodded.

“Yes. I want to be with you. I’m ready.” Hope’s jaw set and her tears stopped flowing as the answer became perfectly clear to her. “I’m going to leave Jerramy. I’m going to tell him everything. I’m going to be with you.” She looked at Kelley shyly. “That is, if you still want me.” Hope added softly. 

Kelley reached out, taking Hope’s face in her hands. “I will always want you,” she whispered and pressed her lips softly against the other woman’s. They kissed slowly, gently, until the dread that had lived in their core disappeared, replaced instead by the promise of the future. 

When they pulled away, Hope pressed her forehead against Kelley’s, her eyes closed. “I’ll love you for the rest of my life,” Kelley whispered and Hope smiled before she pulled the younger woman to her.


	2. Home

Kelley slumped down into her seat on the plane, her ear plugs firmly screwed into her ears in hopes that their presence would keep people from approaching her. The plane had been delayed on the runway which had soured her mood all the more. It had been hard enough to say goodbye to Hope that morning, then she had spilled her coffee, she ripped a hole in the thigh of her favorite pair of skinny jeans and a child had thrown up on her shoes. 

The screen on her phone lit up, showing a text come in from Hope’s phone. Her spirits temporarily soared and she eagerly opened her phone.

HOPE: Miss you already, I can still feel you...I hope you get home safely

Kelley felt a blush creep onto her cheeks as her heart rate rushed. Flashes of the night before flashed through her mind in quick succession; it had been a long time since they had a night like that. Filled with passion and longing, aggression and need. Kelley was sore, herself, each time she moved she could feel where Hope’s knuckles had pressed against her between her legs. A pulse shook her, and she bit her lip, hoping no one was watching her. She quickly returned Hope’s text.

I miss you too, and I’m a little sore. Last night was very, very nice. I’m looking forward to next time. Are you home?

Home. The word didn’t seem to fit, considering they weren’t together. Home wasn’t a place anymore, not to Kelley. Jealousy simmered inside her chest when she thought of Jerramy holding her, or kissing her, sleeping with her at night. They had agreed that Hope would wait to tell Jerramy until the excitement from the Olympic victory tour settled. That way, she could quietly remove her wedding ring and announce the split in their own time. The hope was that Jerramy would be willing to keep it civil; Hope assured Kelley that he was reasonable. Kelley had her doubts regarding how reasonable he would be once he was told that they had been having an affair off and on for years. 

She knew that when they had parted ways previously, Hope and Jerramy had talked about her retiring from international soccer and staying with the Reign, having a few kids and doing the whole family thing. As far as Jerramy knew, that was still the plan. Kelley reasoned with herself, though, thinking that he must know something was different, that Hope had changed the way she handled their marriage. That she was withdrawn, quiet...but Kelley also knew that Hope truly cared for her husband, even if she wasn’t in love with him. The chances of her being sullen and withdrawn were slim. Her phone lit up again, pulling her quickly from her reverie. 

HOPE: Yeah, I got home about half an hour ago. I just got out of the shower...I hope you enjoy the picture ;-)

Kelley’s mouth dropped open and she glanced around to make sure no one could possibly see the screen on her phone. Hope’s tan, lithe body shimmered with droplets of water and Kelley couldn’t help but sweep her eyes repetitively over her lover’s body, from her neck, her breasts, her stomach, her hips, her thighs and back again. She swallowed hard, willing the image to burn into her memory. Ever since Hope’s photo hack, the hard rule had been that Kelley had to delete them before she set her phone down again. 

“Ladies and gentlemen, prepare for takeoff,” the flight attendant announced, causing Kelley to jump. Quickly, she deleted the picture and buckled her seatbelt. It was going to be a long flight, though, as her body hounded her with pulses between her legs with every beat of her heart.

* * *

Hope toweled her body dry, taking her time, remembering Kelley’s hands and mouth leaving trails along her sensitive skin. Their week together had been filled with ample romantic moments and almost excessive sexual encounters but since Hope’s declaration that she would leave Jerramy, their sex life had increased ten fold. It was as if they had rediscovered their honeymoon phase and the spark between them had reignited hotter than before. Her body showed the signs of their connection, at least to the trained eye. What could have been bruises from therapy, training and matches were marks from Kelley’s fingers, her mouth...Hope cherished every mark. 

Without warning, Jerramy entered the bathroom and Hope jumped, frantically pulling the towel over her body. Jerramy raised his eyebrow at her and smiled. 

“You’re a little jumpy,” he teased and Hope smiled shyly.

“Sorry, I just wasn’t expecting you,” she said. His eyes swept over her as she moved the towel away from herself to dry the ends of her hair. 

There had always been a magnetic pull between the two of them, so when Jerramy put his arms around her and kissed her softly, she didn’t object. Although her heart didn’t belong to him anymore, and she was all but packed to leave him, she didn’t want to tell him no. Not out of obligation or a twisted sense of duty, but out of honest desire. Besides, Hope thought as his fingertips sent goosebumps down her spine, being with him one last time couldn’t hurt. 

Still, Hope felt guilty as Jerramy led her to their bed. The guilt was passing as soon as pleasure took hold. She pushed Kelley from her mind, telling herself that no harm could come from her actions.

That night, as Jerramy slept soundly next to her, the guilt returned as she held her phone in her hand, trying to work up the courage to text Kelley and tell her what she had done. Hope’s stomach was in knots, but texting her lover was not the answer. Instead, she settled on Carli.

HOPE: Hey Car, are you awake?

CARLI: Hey! Yeah, I just finished my run. What’s up?

HOPE: I decided I’m going to leave Jerramy and be with Kell

CARLI: Finally! I was hoping you would make a decision one way or another. How are you feeling?

HOPE: I feel great about the decision but...I just got home today and I slept with J.

CARLI: Oh no...well, I mean, you always told her that you two weren’t exclusive, right?

HOPE: Yeah, it just feels like the assumption I wouldn’t be with him again is there because I told her I’m as good as gone.

CARLI: I see what you mean, but she can’t expect you not to screw your husband until you actually tell him you’re done. I don’t think you did anything wrong, especially considering how many times you’ve slept with Kelley and J has no idea. At least Kelley knows.

HOPE: You’re right. Thanks for helping me work through it.

CARLI: No problem. Get some sleep. Love you, Solo.

HOPE: Love you too, Carls

There it was, the verification she had done nothing wrong. So why did she feel so bad?


End file.
